API keys vs OAuth
A practical decision guide for developers integrating third-party APIs.
Practical how-to articles published by APISeeker. Providers do not publish marketplace guides.
Step 1
Use an API key when your backend calls a service with your own credentials and billing.
Step 2
Use OAuth when each end user authorizes access to their data at another service.
Step 3
Marketplace discovery platforms often issue API keys per developer account, then meter usage per key.
Step 4
Do not put long-lived keys in mobile apps or browser code. Proxy through your backend.
Step 5
Document which identity the key represents in your runbooks so support can revoke the right credential.
Key takeaways
- Use an API key when your backend calls a service with your own credentials and billing.
- Use OAuth when each end user authorizes access to their data at another service.
- Marketplace discovery platforms often issue API keys per developer account, then meter usage per key.
- Do not put long-lived keys in mobile apps or browser code. Proxy through your backend.
Keep learning
- GuideHow to validate a GSTIN using an APIStep-by-step guide to call the GSTIN Verification API, handle errors and store results safely.
- GuideInvoice OCR API integration guideExtract vendor, totals and line items from invoice PDFs with confidence-aware parsing.
- GuideHow to build a GST verification workflowDesign an onboarding flow that combines GSTIN checks, retries and audit logging.
- GuideAPI authentication basicsHow API keys, bearer tokens and OAuth differ — and what to choose for marketplace integrations.
Ready to integrate?
Compare plans, open docs, and try endpoints in the playground — then create a key when you are ready for production traffic.